Switch blade



Sept 18, 1951l E. A. MILLER 2,568,652

SWITCH BLADE Filed oct. '7, 1947 HIM. |||i CJ' )l I l ,I /Hunnnm I/ A.

f6 um 2y@ Patented Sept. 18,? 1951 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '2,568,652l j l .Y f

SWITCH VBLADE v Edwin August Miner, mancia, conn. Application (numberl 7, 1947, serial No. 778,443

V3 claims. (c1. 20o-.467) f This invention relates to a switch blade, a mechanical part of an electric switch, and more ,par-

y ticularly to a switch blade having a relatively sliding rigid link extension of the compression` arm.

TheY object of the invention is to provide a compression arm with extension of a novel character providing a sliding movement of such arm.

With reference to the accompanying drawing, the Figure 1 is a plan view of the device; Figure 2 is a side view of the device with parts in normal at-rest position; Figure 3 is a plan view of the device omitting the coil spring; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the device; and Figure 5 is a cross-section of the previous detail.

With more particular reference to the accompany drawing, the numeral I designates the body of the switch blade of sheet metal. K'Ihe body I is provided with an elongated opening 2 therethrough within which is the compression arm 3 integral with the body I at one end of said opening 2. The body I if of cantilever type is secured at one end IA to a base (not illustrated) by means of rivet I8. The arm 3 may be slightly bent upwardly, as at 4, for a normal over-centered position with respect to the plane of the body I. as illustrated by the Figure 2. At the other end of the opening 2 the body I is provided with a rigid projection 5 slightly extending into, and within the plane of, said opening 2.

The compression arm 3 at its extremity 6 is provided with a reduced portion 'I providing the side shoulders A8. A rigid link 9 is provided with the opening 9A, through one end of which depends the hook member 9B. Downwardly bentend portions I0 of the link 9 are substantially at right angles thereto of which one bent-end portion is provided exteriorly with a cupped groove II, and the other bent-end portion I0 is provided with a slot l2 therethrough, the groove I I being adapted to receive therein the rigid body projection l5, and the compression arm 3 being insertible within the slot I2 of the other bentend portion I0 for a free sliding movement therein, the link 9 normally being tipped upwardly and opening '2 upon its hinged connection with the projection 5.

A coil spring I3 is positioned around the reduced portion 1 of the compression arm 3 with one end of the spring I3 engaging the side shoulders 8, and the opposite end engaged over the hook 9B, said spring I3 thus being positioned for movement wholly within the link 9 and permity adapted for a tilting movement within the body 2 ting' aspring-pressed sliding movement of the reduced portion 1 within the slot I2.

The form of switch blade illustrated by the Figures 1 and 2 is provided with upper and lower contacts I4' and I5 at the free end 6 thereof for pendulous movement between the fixed stops VVI9 and 20. Y

In use, assuming that the movable parts of the device are relatively positioned as illustrated by the Figure .2, manual or other pressure may be applied to the push element I'I suiciently to move through the opening 2 of the body I the hingedly link-extended extremity 6 of the arm 3. The said opening 2 is of lesser length than the length of the link 9 and arm 3 in normal position with link out of alignment therewith. The arm 3 becomes flexed as its extremity 6 is forced to slide within the slot I2 and compresses the spring -I 3 Vengaged with the side shoulders 8 while the link 9 is pivotally moved, upon the projection 5, into alignment with the arm 3 until the extremity 6 of the arm 3 passes a centered position with respect to the body I. The centered position of the extremity 6 of the arm 3 so distorts the body I that, upon the sudden release of the extended arm 3 from its centered position, the pendulous end of the body I is moved with a snap-action between iixed stops 20 and I9 thereby breaking contact I5 with the stop 20 and contacting contact I4 with the stop I9 as the extended arm 3 passes from its said centered position to an oil-centered position at the opposiite side of the body I.

While the spring I3, illustrated by the Figures l and 2, it is understood that any other form of spring may be employed, within the scope of the invention, to get a desired operation required by a particular equivalent form of structure of device; for springs of varied forms provide a wide choice of associated link actions. The relative action, as between the tilted link 9 and the sliding compression arm extremity 6, being more or less independent of one another in that each has a distinct function which, as combined, permits a variance in the length of either, the link 9 or the spring I3, for a more gradual operating pressure and quicker contact snap-action.

If a maintained type of operation is desired in said device, the push element I1 may include means (not illustrated) for operation, manual or otherwise, at both ends thereof. In such a case, the slight bend 4 in the compression arm 3 would be omitted.

I claim:

1. A switch blade means for an electric switch,

provided in one of said bent end portions for ay hinged engagement therein with said rigid prdjection, a slot provided through the otheig'beniif end portion for a sliding engagement thereindfwa portion of said compression arm, spring means carried by said reduced extremity-omhe-compresesion arm, the opposite end of said means engaged by a part of said link, and an actuatingy meinberengageable with a surfaceaof the compression arm for moving. said arm; and; the conlriectedY link.- thl'ough Said opening, past: .center andrto anode.. centering nosit with. respect to said blade which is. thereby distortedwith consequent snap. acting movement from. one to. another of; said fixedstops 2. A switch blade means for an electric switch, saidmeans ,cornpifising.` asheet-metal body having an. .eongated opening therethrough-,V upper and lower contaetsparried by said. body, each. upon opposite surfaces thereot and: mpvabletherewith between, xedr stops, a rigidi )gir-.ejectionY provided by said body anda extending into one endV off said opening, acombrlessioniarm. carried by saidV body and extending intosaidopening from the oppo'- site end thereof, said: arm having ay reduced eX- tremityfproviding shoulders, a tiltable-rigid linkhavingfbent end portions and anintermediate depending-portion, a cuppedgrooveexteriorly providedzinoneoi said1be'nt end portions for ahiiiged engagement therein. of: said rigidV projection, a sloti providedethrough theother bentend portion for. a` slidingengagement therein of the reduced portion of said: corripression arm, spring means carried within said link and engaging 'one end of said means with the shoulders of the reduced extremity of said arm, and at the other end engaging the said depending portion of said link, and an actuator for moving said arm and link through said opening, past center and to an oilcentering position with respect to said blade whioh'is thereby distorted with consequent snapacting movement from one to another of said fixed stops. Y

` 3Q.' A swit,ch} blade means for an electric switch, the made comprising asbest-metal body having elongated opening therethrough, upper and lower contacts carried by said body, each upon opposite surfaces thereof and movable therewith between fixed stops, a rigid projection provided by said-*body land extending into one end of said opening, @compression arm carried by said body and'eiterding intomsaid opening from the opposite endl thereof, said arm having a reduced extremity providing shoulders, a tiltable rigid link haringhent .ci editions-.obo oi-whihhas a hingedicenneati S rigid proiecti .e slotnrovided thrash, .h erbent end portion fiaegistonsf Milena iff-he iollowinge-referencesv are of" record: in the ilegofthis'patentr 

